Abstract: The invention integrates hardware and software for sensing, communications, data storage and control into a protection module that is sufficiently small and inexpensive to be attached directly to individual objects, such as musical instruments, and the inventory of stores and museums. Sensors monitor environmental factors, such as temperature and humidity, and accelerometers alert owners to unwanted motion, such as theft or misuse. Sensed data is stored locally and transmitted wirelessly to nonproprietary data receivers, such as smart phones or tablets that generate alerts. In some embodiments the data is forwarded to cloud servers for storage and analysis. Bluetooth communication between the attached module and the data receiver allows large spaces, such as stores and showrooms containing many attached modules to be protected. In some embodiments accelerometers enable finger-tap-controlled recording of musical performance and tuning of the instrument relative to tonal frequencies stored in the module.